Cost of Living Comparison Between Lyon and Mechelen Cost of Living Comparison Between Lyon and Mechelen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,086 per month in Lyon vs $2,095 in Mechelen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,232 per month in Lyon vs $3,282 in Mechelen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,379 per month in Lyon vs $4,469 in Mechelen, rent included.

Lyon and Mechelen have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Lyon and Mechelen sit above the global median – Lyon by 52%, Mechelen by 53%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.03 €14.84

$23.49 €20.47

-27.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.2 €61.2

$108 €94.1

-34.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.83 €12.05

$13.92 €12.13

-0.65%

Cappuccino

$4.36 €3.80

$4.56 €3.97

-4.39%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 €2.50

$3.62 €3.16

-20.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 €1.57

$2.95 €2.57

-38.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.32 €7.25

$5.57 €4.86

49.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.42 €5.59

$5.90 €5.15

8.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 €1.40

$1.19 €1.03

34.45%

White Bread (500g)

$2.08 €1.81

$2.78 €2.42

-25.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.71 €2.36

$2.21 €1.93

22.62%

Eggs

$4.64 €4.05

$3.89 €3.40

19.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$23.52 €20.50

$17.58 €15.32

33.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.85 €12.08

$12.50 €10.90

10.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.45 €23.92

$20.60 €17.95

33.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.45 €2.14

$2.78 €2.42

-11.87%

Banana (1kg)

$2.41 €2.10

$2.53 €2.20

-4.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.36 €2.93

$2.69 €2.35

24.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.42 €2.98

$3.04 €2.65

12.50%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 €2.41

$2.24 €1.95

23.21%

Onion (1kg)

$3.00 €2.62

$2.02 €1.76

48.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.43 €1.25

$1.42 €1.24

0.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 €1.06

$1.05 €0.92

15.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.16 €12.34

$13.44 €11.72

5.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.02 €7.86

$9.10 €7.93

-0.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 €2.44

$1.78 €1.55

57.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 €3.14

$2.29 €2.00

57.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.48 €2.16

$3.50 €3.05

-29.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.6 €73.8

$56.9 €49.58

48.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.27 €7.21

$5.83 €5.08

41.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.31 €2.01

$2.85 €2.48

-18.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.74 €37.26

$45.57 €39.73

-6.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.20 €1.92

$2.07 €1.80

6.28%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$36.0K €31.4K

$35.9K €31.3K

0.10%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$36.6K €31.9K

$33.9K €29.6K

7.73%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$277 €242

$215 €188

28.75%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$15.06 €13.13

$21.89 €19.08

-31.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.15 €28.02

$48.30 €42.10

-33.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.00 €38.35

$30.43 €26.53

44.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.61 €24.94

$14.05 €12.25

103.63%

Cinema Ticket

$14.80 €12.90

$15.69 €13.67

-5.67%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$640 €558

$574 €500

11.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K €10.2K

$21.8K €19.0K

-46.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$120 €104

$112 €97.2

7.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.79 €42.53

$51.5 €44.90

-5.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 €110

$109 €95.3

15.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 €114

$149 €130

-11.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$901 €785

$977 €852

-7.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$682 €594

$794 €692

-14.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,862 €1,624

$1,455 €1,268

28.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,276 €1,112

$1,294 €1,128

-1.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,541 €5,702

$5,279 €4,602

23.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,166 €3,631

$3,705 €3,230

12.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,170 €2,763

$2,282 €1,989

38.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.68

3.46

6.36%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Lyon: September 13, 2026

Last update for Mechelen: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $901 in Lyon versus $977 in Mechelen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 39% higher in Lyon. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $70.0 in Lyon versus $108 in Mechelen. Groceries tell a different story – $419 in Lyon vs $357 in Mechelen – so Mechelen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Lyon vs Mechelen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,129 per month in Lyon and $3,142 in Mechelen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Lyon, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 18% cheaper in Mechelen – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

Kindergarten costs $640 per month in Lyon and $574 in Mechelen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Lyon, where all-in costs run around $2,086, than in Mechelen at $2,095. In Lyon it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mechelen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Lyon costs $2,086 versus $2,095 in Mechelen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Lyon. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Mechelen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.